Compositions imparting antistatic properties to fibers and method of making same



United States Patent 3,101,323 COMPOSITIONS IMPARTING ANTISTATIC PROP-ERTIES TO FIBERS AND METHOD OF MAKING Luigi Merlo and Giovanni Vitelli,Milan, Italy, assignors to Montecatini Societa Generals per llndustriaMineraria e Chimica, Milan, Italy No Drawing. Filed Sept. 12, 1960, Ser.No. 55,117 Claims priority, application Italy Mar. 29, 1956 3 Claims.(Cl. 252--8.9)

This application is a continuation-in-part of our application Serial No.647,189, filed March 20, 1957, now

' abandoned.

enties thereto and prevents the formation of electric charges during thevarious processing stages.

However, aside from being capable of substantially reducingelectrostatic charges, these compounds have the serious disadvantagethat they cannot be directly applied to the fibers because of their highviscosity (about 200 centipoises/20 C.) and lack of wetting power andalso because they are difficult to remove once they have been applied.Moreover, these compounds have a substantial adverse effect upon theangle of friction of the fibers treated therewith.

We have now found that, upon appropriately mixing condensation productsbetween ethylene oxide, lauryl alcohol and a polyglycol withcondensation products between ethylene oxide and glycerol, compositionsare obtained which have not only antistatic properties that are superiorto those of the known condensation products between glycerol orpolyglycol and ethylene oxide, but also are characterized by very lowviscosity (120 130 centipoises/ 20 C.), emulsifiability with water andvery high wetting power.

After having been applied to fibers, yarns or fabrics, thesecompositions can be readily removed therefrom. While applied, they donot change the angle of friction or flow of the treated material, asindicated by the electrometer in electrostatic tests.

The present examples are provided to illustrate but in no Way to limitthe herein-claimed invention.

Example 1 -parts of a first condensation product-(obtained according toconventional methods) between ethylene oxide (mol ratio 5.4) and laurylalcohol (mol ratio 1), and 35 parts polyglycol 200 (ethylene oxidecondensate having an average M.W. of 200) are added to 40 parts of asecond condensation product (produced according to usual methods)between ethylene oxide (mol ratio 8.36) and glycerol (mol ratio 1). Themixture is stirred until it is homogeneous and, if necessary, is treatedwith decolorants such as oxidiants or carbon black.

In the first condensation product, the preferred range of molar ratiosof ethylene oxide to lauryl alcohol is from 5 to 6. The preferred rangeof molar ratios of ethylene 7 oxide to glycerol in the second is from 8to 9.

3,101,323 Patented Aug. 20, 1963 Example 2 10 parts of a condensationproduct between ethylene oxide (mol ratio 5.4) and lauryl alcohol (molratio 1) and 30 parts polyglycol 200 are added to 60 parts of acondensation product between ethylene oxide (mol ratio 8.36) andglycerol (mol ratio 1).

The following calculations illustrate the amount of ethylene oxide andthe amount of lauryl alcohol respectively used to produce 25 parts(Example 1) or 10 parts (Example 2) of the first condensation productand the quantity of ethylene oxide and the quantity of glycerolrespectively used to produce 40 parts (Example 1) or '60 parts (Example2) of the second condensation product:

Molecular weight of lauryl alcohol g 186.33 Molecular weight of ethyleneoxide g 44 Ratio between lauryl alcohol and ethylene oxide mols 1 5 .4

25 g. (Example 1) or 10 g. (Example 2) of the 423.93 g. are used as thefirst condensation product.

Molecular weight of glycerol g 92.09 Molecular weight of ethylene oxideg 44 erol and lauryl alcohol and also the molecular weight of the addedpolyglycol can vary.

Example 3 50 parts of a condensation product between ethylene oxide (5.4mols) and lauryl alcohol (1 mol) are mixed directly in the cold with 35parts of polyglycol 200 (ethylene oxide condensate having an averageM.W. of 200) and 15 parts of a condensation product between ethylene.oxide (8.36 mols) and glycerol (1 mol). Mixing does not requireparticular expedients, with the exception of good stirring.

The following examples [of the product application will betterillustrate the present invention:

Example 4 p A polyvinyl chloride yarn is treated with the'cornpositionshown in Example 1 or 2, so that a proportion varying from 0.5 to 1%based on the weight of the yarn is absorbed. In electrostatic tests withan electrometer, this yarn shows practically no formation of electriccharges, even after passages of 500-1000 meters, while untreatedpolyvinyl chloride yarn ordinarily produces static charges. Angle offriction of untreated polyvinyl chloride-.. 112 Angle of friction ofpolyvinyl chloride treated with 0.5% of the composition .Angle offriction of polyvinyl chloride treated with 1% of the composition 110 3Example 5 A viscose rayon yarn is treated with the composition shown inExample 1 or 2, so that a proportion varying from 0.5 to 1% is absorbed.

In electrostatic tests with an electrometer, this yarn shows noformation of electric charges, even after pas sages of 500-1000 m.,while untreated viscose rayon yarn ordinarily produces static charges.

Angle of friction of untreated viscose rayon 105-107 Angle of frictionof viscose rayon treated with 0.5% of the composition 103-105 Angle offriction of viscose rayon treated with 1% of said composition 105 Staticelectric charge values expressed in coulom-bs/meter:

Untreated rayon viscose yarn 2.6x Rayon viscose yarn treated with thecomposition 4 10* Example 6 An acetate rayon yarn is treated with thecomposition shown in Example 1 or 2, so that a proportion varying from0.5% to 1% is absorbed.

In electrostatic tests with an electrometer, this yarn shows noformation of electric charges, even after pa..- sages of 500-1000 111.,while untreated acetate rayon yarn ordinarily produces high staticcharges.

Angle of friction of untreated acetate rayon 107-110" Angle of frictionof acetate rayon treated with 0.5% of the composition 107-105 Angle offriction of acetate rayon treated with 1% of the composition 105 Staticelectric charge values expressed in coulombs/meter:

Untreated acetate rayon yarn 2 10 Acetate rayon yarn treated with thiscomposition '2 X 10- Example 7 Angle of friction of untreated nylon130-132 Angle of friction of nylon treated with 0.5%

of the composition 127 Angle of friction of nylon treated with 1% of thecomposition 130 Static electric charge values expressed incoulombs/meter:

Untreated nylon yarn 4.8 10-- Nylon yarn treated with this composition3X10- Example 8 A linen or silk yarn is treated with the compositionshown in Example 1 or 2, so that a proportion varying from 0.5 to 1% isabsorbed. In electrostatic tests with an electrometer, this yarn showsno formation of electric charges, even after passages of 500-1000 m.,while untreated linen or silk yarn produces ordinarily static charges.

Angle of friction of untreated linen 100 Angle of friction of linentreated with 0.5% of the composition 98 Angle of friction of linentreated with 1% of the composition 98 Angle of friction of untreatedsilk 110 (A Angle of friction of silk treated with 0.5% of thecomposition 108 Angle of friction of silk treated with 1% of thecomposition 108 Static electric charge values expressed incoulombs/meter:

Untreated linen yarn 2X l0 Linen yarn treated with this composition 2l0- Untreated silk yarn 4X 10* Silk yarn treated with the composition ofthe present invention 1.5 10- It is obvious from Examples 4-8 thatapplication of the herein-claimed composition causes practically nochange in the angle of friction of the treated fibers.

The ethylene oxide-glycerol condensation product imparts the antistaticproperty. This is improved by the ethylene oxide-lauryl alcoholcondensation product, which has wetting properties and facilitatesadhesion of the mixture to the fiber. The polyglycol improveslubrication and fluidity, which reduces the coefiicient of friction.

This mixture was found to be excellent for the majority of yarns, incontrast to prior antistatic compounds and to the condensation productbetween ethylene oxide and glycerol when applied alone. This combinationis a true combination because the result is diiferent from the sum ofthe separate results of the individual compounds used. Although eachsingle compound or mixture of compounds has its specific activity asstated above, the mixture of the three components according to theinstant invention, enhances the activity of each individual component sothat the sum of the activities of the product obtained is greater thanthe sum of the activities of each component. 1

We have carried out numerous tests which demonstrate both the utilityand the unexpected results of the products obtained according to theinstant invention, for example:

(1) A polyvinyl chloride yarn was treated with 0.5% (by weight) of acondensation product between ethylene oxide and glycerol.

Results Angle of friction Breaking off owing to friction. Staticelectric charge 6.5 X 10* (coulombs/ meter).

The same yarn was treated with the composition of this disclosure, underthe same conditions.

Results Angle of friction 110. Static electric charge 1.5 10- (coulombs/meter).

(2) A polyvinyl chloride yarn was treated with a condensation productbetween ethylene oxide and lauryl alcohol with 0.5% based on the weightof the yarn.

Results Angle of friction Breaking 01f owing to friction. A Staticelectric charge 3.8 10- (coulornbs/ meter).

The same yarn was treated with an equal amount by weight of thecomposition of this invention under the same conditions.

Results Angle of friction 110. Static electric charge 1.5 10* (coulombs/meter).

Also known binary mixtures have been tested. But compared with thecompositions of this invention they are markedly inferior in respect tothe desired characteristics.

The compositions of this application not only have antistatic propertiesthat are superior to those of the known condensation products, but arealso characterized by very low viscosity, emulsitiability with water andvery high wetting power. After having been applied to fibers, yarns orfabrics, these compositions can be readily removed therefrom. Whileapplied they do not change the angle of friction or flow.

Many comparison tests, which have been carried out by us, using singlecompounds or binary mixtures according to the prior art, for treatingyarns of polyvinyl chloride, nylon, viscose rayon, acetate rayon, linenand silk, show that none of such single compounds, nor binary mixturesof the same, are entirely satisfactory for the technological operationto be carried out, whereas the ternary mixtures according to the instantdisclosure coinply with all the practical requirements of the art.

Other polyglycol-s made by condensation of polyhydric alcohols orethylene oxide can be substituted for polyglycol 200, and the molecularweight may be in a wide range, viz. 100 to 10,000. Polyglycols liquid atordinary temperature are preferred.

We claim:

1. A composition capable of preventing the development of staticelectric charges in yarns made from natural and synthetic textile fiberswhen applied to said fibers at a ratio of about 0.5 to 1.0 percent byweight, said composition consisting of a homogeneous mixture of to 25parts of a liquid condensation product of ethylene oxide and laurylalcohol, and 60 to 40 parts of a liquid condensation product of ethyleneoxide and of glycerol, homogeneously mixed with a polyglycol, saidpolyglycol being polymerized ethylene oxide having an average molecularweight of about 200, said condensation products each being formed With amolar predominance of ethylene oxide, the molar ratio in saidcondensation products being not greater than about 8.36 mols of ethyleneoxide to one mol of the other ingredient, the said polyglycol comprisingto parts of the mixture.

2. A composition capable of preventing the development of staticelectric charges in yarns made fromnatural and synthetic textile fiberswhen applied to said fibers at a ratio of about 0.5 to 1.0 percent byweight, said composition consisting of a homogeneous mixture of 10 to 25parts of a condensation product of 5.4 mols of ethylene oxide and 1 molof lauryl alcohol, and 6'0 to 40 parts of a condensation product of 8.36mols of ethylene oxide and 1 mol of glycerol, homogeneously mixed with30 to 35 parts of a polyglycol, said polyglycol being polymerizedethylene oxide having an average molecular weight of about 200.

3. A composition capable of preventing the development of staticelectric changes in yarns made from natural and synthetic textile fiberswhen applied to said fibers at a ratio of about 0.5 to 1.0 percent byweight, said composition consisting of parts of a condensation productbetween 5.4 mols of ethylene oxide and 1 mol of lauryl alcohol and of acondensation product between 8.36 mols ethylene oxide and 1 mol ofglycerol, homogeneously mixed with 35 parts of a polyglycol having anaverage molecular weight of 200.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,970,578 Schoeller et al Aug. '21, 1934 2,316,258 Kummel Apr. 13, 19432,690,426 Jefferson et a1. Sept. 28, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 665,914 GreatBritain Feb. 6, 1952 804,964 Great Britain Nov. 26, 1958

1. A COMPOSITION CAPABLE OF PREVENTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF STATICELECTRIC CHARGES IN YARNS MADE FROM NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC TEXTILE FIBERSWHEN APPLIED TO SAID FIBERS AT A RATIO OF ABOUT 0.5 TO 1.0 PERCENT BYWEIGHT, SAID COMPOSITION CONSISTING OF A HOMOGENEOUS MIXTURE OF 10 TO 25PARTS OF A LIQUID CONDENSATION PRODUCT OF ETHYLENE OXIDE AND LAURYLALCOHOL, AND 60 TO 40 PARTS OF A LIQUID CONDENSATION PRODUCT OF ETHYLENEOXIDE AND OF GLYCEROL, HOMOGENEOUSLY MIXED WITH A POLYGLYCOL, SAIDPOLYGLYCOL BEING POLYMERIZED ETHYLENE OXIDE HAVING AN AVERAGE MOLECULARWEIGHT OF ABOUT 200, SAID CONDENSATION PRODUCTS EACH BEING FORMED WITH AMOLAR PREDOMINANCE OF ETHYLENE OXIDE, THE MOLAR RATIO IN SAIDCONDENSATION PRODUCTS BEING NOT GREATER THAN ABOUT 8.36 MOLS OF ETHYLENEOXIDE TO ONE MOL OF THE OTHER INGREDIANT, THE SAID POLYGLYCOL COMPRISING30 TO 35 PARTS OF THE MIXTURE.